Of Heroes & Space Cowboys
by Ava Chanel
Summary: Attention. This is your captain speaking, and I'm here to save the day. Dr. Horrible 'verse. Post BDM, post Dr. Horrible movie.
1. the day penny died

**A/N: **_Been toying with this idea for a while now. I don't generally care for crossovers but hey, somehow I think it would be okay if it's these two. The following story will be conducted in typical Whedonverse manner, which means tragedy and character deaths. It will also take place in the Doctor Horrible 'verse post the events of the movie and will follow Inara primarily, but of course everyone makes an appearance. It is also post BDM. Happy readings!_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**1:**

**the day penny died**

**Summary: **it's not nice when girls who help the homeless get impaled and die.

She waited for the light to change.

The red, flashing hand cautioned her.

No moving forward.

The rain drizzled against her umbrella and the cars sped past, their tires splashing water all over the curb. Some of it sprayed onto her skirt and she wiped at it with her hand. She sighed when that made it worse, the stain tainting the vibrant colour of the summer pattern.

The white lights of the walking man signaled her turn to go. The cars came to a stop at the intersection. She gingerly crossed the street, her ballet shoes delicate against the hard, dark pavement. The wind played with the ebony curls of her hair but the umbrella protected her from any of the moisture. She got to the other end, tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to forget.

But it had rained on that day, too. If she looked down at her hands, she could almost see his blood staining her palms, drying in the creases and beneath her fingernails. If she listened closely, she could almost hear his last breath leaving his body. And if she touched her cheek, she could almost differentiate between the rain and her tears.

That was years ago, on another world, in another time. Back then, her body had been failing her and her career choice had been respected. Things were different now.

She opened the door to the old building and slipped inside, closing her umbrella behind her and shaking out the rain water.

"Pourin' out there, ain't it, love?"

Badger called out to her from the bar. It was still too early to be open and the owner of the place liked to have a couple of drinks before the business day started. He sat behind the counter, still wearing his little black hat, like he always did even back on Persephone. Except this was a different Badger. She had to keep reminding herself of that. It never did get any easier, though.

She mustered up a smile and took off her light jacket, throwing it over a chair. Badger flipped on the television that was hanging from the left bar corner, and went back to nursing his drink. She usually ignored the news, didn't even own a TV in her apartment. Many thought that made her strange, but she had her reasons. Even now, she refused to glance at the screen, choosing to get a drink of water instead.

"Sad thing about that girl. Looked young, too. Coulda made her one of mine if the Hammer weren't datin' the lass," Badger commented, eyes never leaving the television.

She drank her water and looked at her boss before saying, "Not every attractive woman is going to work for you, Badger."

He smiled his crooked smile and replied, "I've got you, don't I, doll? Besides, a fat lot a dead girl's gonna do for me. Don't deal with them sorts of customers."

He knocked back the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the counter. She didn't make a mention of it but, she was affected by the girl's death more than she'd have liked. Badger didn't pick up on it, however. The shorter man stood up to his full height, patted her lightly on the back and said, "World ain't gonna stop spinnin' on account of a dead girl. Full day of business ahead, love. Doctor Horrible ain't one to meddle in my affairs, anyhow."

For once in a long time, she allowed herself a look at the screen, only slowly.

The girl lay there, in a pool of her own blood, red hair a mess. She'd been impaled, pale fingers twitching at her sides. Her eyes were wide open, staring at nothing, seeing absolutely nothing.

The headlines read: BREAKING NEWS. DOCTOR HORRIBLE TAKES OVER, KILLS CAPTAIN HAMMER'S GIRLFRIEND AND INJURES THE HERO.

Only the doctor didn't much look like a man who had taken anything. As a matter of fact, he looked like a man who'd just lost everything.

Inara would know that look, she knew it so well.

She knew because it was the same look she'd worn when Malcolm Reynolds died.

-.-

**A/N: **_A short introduction, I know. The chapter serves more like the prologue. And no, I'm not skipping out on details. I do have it all planned out and I know exactly how Inara got to this world and what happened (no time travel, I promise). I just want it to be revealed as we move along. :) Adds more drama. Feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading._


	2. back from the dead, but not as a zombie

**A/N: **_So many ideas for this are bursting in my head! So here comes another little update. :)_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**2:**

**back from the dead, but not as a zombie**

**summary: **what's a superhero doing in the laundry room, anyways?

Suddenly, it was like everything was about Doctor Horrible, Penny's unfortunate demise and Captain Hammer's break down. Inara couldn't escape it, even though she did not own a television. It was the story on everyone's lips and so, wherever Inara went, she was subjected to hear about it. As a matter of fact, the only time she didn't have to listen to it was when she was on stage and the music was blaring too loud to hear anything. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that whenever she was on stage, everyone in the room had a habit of temporarily forgetting what they were discussing and focusing on her performance. Badger said she had that affect on people.

"You're the star, doll," He'd say, wearing that cheeky smile while he counted the thick, green stacks of cash on his table.

She would just snuggle into her robe, hugging the satin material closer to her body, as if it were some type of shield. It always made her feel...dirtier when he said it. The other girls envied and hated her for stealing their spotlight and so, Inara didn't exactly have a female friend in any of her coworkers.

The audience she would draw was rowdy, drunk and would catcall every time. It wasn't unheard of that some would try to get on stage with her or corner her after a performance. But the worst was the cash they threw at her. It was the way they'd tuck the money into her underwear when she got to close, their hands grabbing, squeezing and touching. It was demeaning and it made her feel like...

_A whore._

There were so many differences between what she did now and what she used to be. Companions were like sisters, they were respected by a majority of the universe, protected by the Guild. But all Inara had in this world, was Badger and his hired team of bodyguards. If the money hadn't been so good and if she didn't need it so desperately, Inara would have left in a heartbeat.

There were bills to pay, food to buy, laundry to do. All of that would cost her. Even the change she put into the washing machine came from her hard earned cash working for Badger. Sighing, she closed the lid and the machine slowly rumbled to life. Inara then turned her attention to her fresh and warm laundry that had come out of the dryer. She began to fold her under things nice and neatly, placing them in an orderly fashion inside of her laundry basket.

"Excuse me miss, could you lend me some of that soap stuff that you use for washing clothes? Seems I, uh, misplaced mine. Yeah."

Inara spun on her heel and stared at the man speaking to her, her dark eyes widening as she instantly recognized the deep, gruff, male voice. She looked up into familiar, indigo blue eyes and instinctively backed up against the machine, her hands grasping the edge as her heart felt like leaping out of her throat.

There it was: the face that she'd been avoiding all this time. It was the very same face that gave her reason to refuse to look at any sort of screen, television or other. But, regardless of her efforts, it was the face she saw everywhere and the face she had grown to love in a previous life.

He had the same awkward fringe, the same honey brown hair, the same nose that was perhaps too big for his face, the same square jaw, the same small, ribbon shaped mouth, the same build, and he even stood at the exact same height. She always did fall just right beneath his gaze.

Inara paled, as if she was seeing a ghost. And she might as well have been, because Malcolm Reynolds was staring right back at her, very much alive and very much not a brain eating zombie.

-.-

**A/N: **_I decided to keep these chapters short and sweet in an effort to draw the story out and so that I can update a lot more easily and frequently. Certain chapters may exceed one thousand words but most will probably stay well below that. Thanks to _**ebfiddler**_ for the review and follow! It's amazing to have a talented author like yourself interested in my writing. :) _

_As per usual, all feedback is welcomed! Thanks for the read. _


	3. girl, you so fine

**A/N: **_A shout out to the lovely people reviewing and following! _**Ebfiddler, Bytemite, reaverattack**_ and _**PurpleHipposRock**_. :) Here's another update!_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**3:**

**girl, you so fine**

**summary: **real space captains don't use awful pick up lines.

"Wow," the captain breathed, eyes growing as wide as saucers when he was face to face with Inara.

And just like that, he switched to suave, a crooked but handsome smile playing on his lips as he leaned in close and ran a hand through his hair. Inara was practically sitting on the machine in an effort to maintain her distance from Mal's reincarnation. Or long lost twin brother.

"If I got a nickel for each time I saw a woman as beautiful as you, I'd have a total of five cents," the Captain said.

Inara cringed and asked, "Are you seriously hitting on me only a few days after watching your girlfriend die?"

His smile fell at the mention of Penny and he broke eye contact with Inara, choosing to stare at the ground.

He scratched the tip of his nose and mumbled, "Right. There is that."

Inara sighed and figured the best way to be rid of the man was to give him what he wanted. So, she scooped out some of the detergent she'd bought and gave it to him.

"It's called detergent by the way," She informed him.

She turned around, forced herself to ignore him and told herself that she didn't care about the fact that the hero was doing his own laundry. She chanted it like a mantra, pretending there was no nagging urge to question his presence at the Laundromat. Captain Hammer was not Mal, no matter how similar they looked. And so, there was no reason for her to care.

"Detergent. I knew that," He said.

He then leaned over the machine next to hers as she folded her panties. Inara tensed up at his sudden closeness, but didn't look in his direction.

"So, what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" He asked, heroic smile making a full return.

Inara still refused to look at him when she answered, "Doing my laundry. I've been coming here for a while now."

"Of course. Well then, maybe an experienced veteran, such as yourself, would be so kind as to lend me a helping hand? I'm not too familiar with using these machines," Hammer said, playing up his charm.

"I'm assuming you've never had to wash clothes before in your life, have you?" Inara accused him.

He started to stutter, "I, uh, well, I mean, I...Pft, of course I've washed clothes before! It's just...my old place was, uh...put out of business, and their machines were archaic. These ones here are so...technologically advanced!"

Inara laughed sarcastically, "Have you always been this horrible at picking up women, Captain?"

Hammer looked like he was hurt by her insult, and a little taken aback.

He scratched the back of his head and said, "Only when it's a woman who is clearly out of my league."

Inara fought the urge to role her eyes.

After a moment of silence, filled with her folding her clothes and him watching her, Hammer asked, "So, is that a no?"

Finally annoyed, Inara looked at him, dark eyes ablaze, and answered sharply, "It's a 'take your detergent and figure it out yourself'."

It hurt her more than she'd have cared to admit, to see him look so sad, but only because it was Mal's face she kept seeing. Part of her ached to pull his face to hers, to crush his mouth against hers, to run her fingers through his hair, and to hold him against her chest. She wanted to cradle him, keep him safe, unlike the time he had bled out in her arms. She had tried so hard to hang on to him, to make him stay, but his eyes were closed and she knew, she knew he was gone forever.

She dreamt of him then. It had been a restless night, her sheets soaked in sweat as she tossed and turned.

They were at a party, dressed for the event. Some sort of masquerade. His mask obscured half of his face, covering his nose and most of his eyes. All she could see was the chiseled jaw, the small stubble on his cheeks, and the indigo hue of his eyes. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close. Her breath had caught and his gloved fingers came to play with the dark curls by her ear. He leaned in close, close enough for his warm breath to tickle her skin.

"You _always_ did stand out," He whispered into her ear.

-.-

**A/N: **_I'm alluding to a lot here. I'm sure everyone can figure it out. :) Anyways, there will be plenty more interaction with all the characters from both worlds. But I felt it necessary to introduce Hammer right away since he is a vital plot point in the story. Feedback of any kind is most appreciated. :) Thanks for reading!_


	4. two by two, tams are crew

**A/N: **_Appreciating all the comments, feedback and follows. I promise, there will be answers soon! But they will be revealed steadily as the story goes on. So, without further ado, chapter four._

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**4:**

**two by two, tams are crew**

**summary: **and real villains don't try to achieve world peace.

Monday morning.

Once a month.

Inara always woke up bright and early. Like clockwork, she got dressed and was then scurrying out the door to catch her bus.

It had become routine, these appointments.

Nothing quite like how it used to be. Before, she kept appointments with clients and those had always changed on a whim. Not to mention, they were entirely dependent on where Mal's petty thieving took them next.

But in this world, a world quite similar to Earth-that-was, the only appointments Inara kept were the ones she had with her doctor.

A familiar face, too. Doctor Simon Tam was her attending physician and Inara was glad for it. Not only was the man brilliant, just as she had always known him to be, but he had also been a dear friend to her once upon a time. However, like Badger, this Simon Tam was different and therefore, unfamiliar with her. Nonetheless, it was easy for Inara to fall back into it with him. The Blue Suns had assured her she would be in good hands, after all.

Inara stepped inside the clinic that Simon ran when he wasn't busy working in the hospital or expanding his research at the university. The receptionist desk was empty and Inara leaned on the table, looking around for a sign of life. She was always early.

The television was turned on in the waiting area and Inara could hear the voices of the news anchors.

"After days of speculation, Doctor Horrible has finally revealed his newly elected mayor. Zoe Alleyne has been handpicked amongst fierce competitors for the position. Stay tuned for her acceptance speech."

Inara paled. That couldn't have been the same Zoe who had worked under Mal's command. But, hadn't that been her maiden name before she married Wash?

It took all of her willpower not to look at the screen.

"Next up, we've got the dirty details behind Captain Hammer's eviction."

She recalled that day in the Laundromat. She remembered his face and the look of defeat when she'd sent him away. Then the dream came back to her and she heard Mal's voice in her head:

_"You always did stand out."_

It echoed in her ear all over again, the familiar words so real and lingering in the air, haunting her in the same way he did. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel his warm breath and take in his sharp smell of fresh soap and gun metal grease.

"So sorry to have kept you waiting, ma'am! Still a little new to the job and these buses aren't easy to figure out. Won't happen again, I swear it! My name's Kaylee, the new Tam receptionist! Now, which Tam sibling would you be seeing today?" a familiar cheery voice brought Inara out of her reverie.

When her eyes opened, she was greeted with Kaylee's sweet smile. Except this Kaylee wasn't covered in engine grease and didn't wear overalls. This Kaylee had her hair long enough to kiss her shoulders, fresh blonde highlights and was dressed for business. She barely resembled the young woman Inara had so quickly become friends with.

Nonetheless, despite her clean appearance, Kaylee looked frazzled and slightly out of breath from rushing in to work late.

Inara mustered a smile and said, "I'm to see doctor Simon Tam. Inarra Serra, appointment for eight. Since when has his sister joined his practice here?"

Kaylee brushed her hair behind her ear as she clicked away on the computer, "Oh! Just recently, actually! River's the one who helped me get this job. Don't tell anyone I told you this, but Simon isn't exactly too pleased with the idea of having his younger sister working with him. She claims it's because he's afraid he's going to lose all his clients to her."

Inara wondered what River Tam was like now. It was hard to picture her completely coherent and not as the same girl who was damaged by brutal experimentation that had made her a lethal government weapon.

"I'll just get your files ready for the doctor. Please, have a seat Ms. Serra," Kaylee explained, still smiling.

Inara thanked her and took a seat that was far away from the television. Even the way she sat was prim and proper, her little purse resting neatly in her lap.

The news anchor's voice droned in the background, nonetheless.

"An update on Doctor Horrible has just come in. It is said the mad man is expanding his labs and research and forcing people to work under him for a minimum wage. Against their will, the good citizens of our town are being forced to do evil. Our new mayor, Zoe Alleyne, is supporting the Doctor. And so I ask you, is there anyone among us who will rise up and save us from Bad Horse and his latest prodigy?"

Inara looked at the screen, one more time despite herself. She stared at the doctor, the moving image of him smiling maliciously for the cameras. But, try as she might, Inara didn't see the evil everyone loved to fear in Doctor Horrible. Perhaps she was the only one able to see what his true intentions were. Perhaps, their similar grief connected them in that way.

She spoke her thoughts aloud, although not truly realizing it, and her voice was barely more than a whisper when she said, "Precious Buddha, he's fulfilling her dream."

-.-

**A/N: **_Sorry for the late update. Haven't had any time to do any writing because of the overwhelming school work and shift work at the hospital. I'm hoping that once things die down a bit later, I'll be able tp update a bit more frequently. Feedback, as usual, is welcomed. :)_


	5. sibling rivalry

**A/N: **_It's nice reading all the reviews and knowing I have piqued the curiosity of many. Hopefully, I can keep it up. :)_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**5:**

**sibling rivalry**

**summary: **_a little bit of healthy patient thieving never really hurt a good sibling relationship, anyways._

There was nothing fun about cold examination tables and needles. Not even when Inara was in the careful and gentle hands of Simon Tam. She stared at his handsome face as he concentrated on reading the results from her latest blood work. He was in doctor mode, as Inara liked to put it. Even back on Serenity, once Simon Tam was in the zone, it was difficult to find the man underneath the lab coat.

Still, it had been a comfort to look upon such a friendly and familiar face. Altogether, this Simon wasn't very different from the Simon she'd come to know aboard Serenity. It had made the transition easy when she had woken up in this world to his soft, blue eyes.

"Well, I don't see anything of significant concern, Inara. You're still as clean as a whistle," Simon finally reported, setting the papers aside and smiling at the young woman.

Inara sat up and smoothed out her skirts before commenting, "That's some good news."

Simon bustled about at the cabinets, pulling out a syringe and needle as well as a vial of medication.

"It's strange that you need blood work on a monthly basis," Simon commented, drawing up the liquid into the syringe.

Inara studied him before asking, "Why is it strange? Plenty of people have blood work done often."

"Yes, but those people tend to have reason for it. Generally speaking, Inara, those people are sick. I fail to see how a woman of your age and health status, without a single complaint, would suddenly develop anything within a month," Simon explained.

Inara stared at the cold, tiled floor, her bare feet dangling inches above it.

It was still hard to believe that it was really gone.

Every day, she thought she would wake up back at the academy. She would awake to her body failing her. She'd scramble out of bed, fingers clawing at the table for the needle she needed, only to realize it wasn't there, and that she couldn't move to get it besides. Her hands were too shaky, her legs far too weak. Her body wouldn't obey her any longer. So she'd die there, on the carpeted floor of her bedroom, until familiar hands lifted her and strong arms were carrying her. But she was so heavy and she wondered why he never complained.

_"I never told you..."_ she'd apologize, but her lips didn't move and if he heard her, he never said a thing.

"The Blue Suns seem to be rather keen on this blood work, so I suppose it's a good thing they're keeping such a close eye on you after the accident," Simon said, breaking Inara out of her daydream.

"Yes, well. A person can never be too careful." Inara forced a smile.

Simon tapped the syringe, expelling any air bubbles while he talked, "Still, I can't help but wonder what it is they're expecting to happen to you..."

"Her death," A young, female voice piped up.

Both Simon and Inara turned towards the door where River Tam stood, watching them with her large, dark eyes. Inara felt her face heat up. Was this girl also a reader?

River moved towards her brother and sighed before explaining, "They're an insurance company, Simon. They don't care about their client's well-being. They just want their money."

Simon tensed up and his lips thinned as he glared at River, "You can't be in here. You can't just...barge into my office when I'm with a patient."

River giggled, "You mean, my future patient?"

"I'm serious," Simon retorted, still staring down his little sister.

River plucked the syringe from his grip and eyed its contents, saying, "Oh, relax. It's not like I don't know Inara. I was the one who helped you bring her back during the surgery, remember? Why are you giving her an antibiotic?"

Simon picked it back out of the girl's smaller hands and said, "That's confidential."

River just smiled and cocked her head to the side, long dark waves moving with her as she analyzed her brother.

"It's fine, Simon. You can tell River. I trust her," Inara stated, trying to ease the tension.

River turned dark eyes on her and the older woman couldn't help but feel like she could still see right through her.

"Iron deficiency. Have you prescribed her anything for it? Or did you miss that in her blood work? But really, you can tell just by looking. Look, Simon! You don't need needles to look!" River commanded.

And so, Inara had been granted a prescription for iron pills, much to the urging of Simon's younger sister and his efforts to placate her.

Inara said her good-bye to the new Kaylee and found out that some things hadn't changed; the girl still had an inclination towards machines and was working part-time for River to pay for engineering classes at the university. Inara had to wonder if this Kaylee also had any sort of inclination for doctors. She'd soon find out, now that she had the girl's phone number tucked away in her pocket.

What Inara hadn't been anticipating was the new Laundromat friend she seemed to have unknowingly made.

She saw him there, manhandling the machine and muttering curses at it as he tried to get it to work. Part of her wanted to turn around and leave while her throat constricted and her heart hammered against her ribcage.

The other part of her wanted to stay, for reasons she couldn't entirely name.

Instead, Inara remained rooted to the spot, basket full of clothes in her arms and feeling too conflicted to budge.

That was when Hammer made a decision for her. The tall, muscular, ex-superhero kicked the machine out of frustration, spun around and ran a hand through his hair before spotting her at the entrance. It took her a moment to realize that she was staring at him. He smiled at her and she ignored him.

Deep breaths.

Small steps.

_And, whatever you do, don't look him in the eyes. _

-.-

**A/N: **_Another Hammer encounter. Those of you waiting on a Dr. Horrible encounter, don't worry. That will come. There will also be more Firefly cameos and interaction with the Tams and Kaylee. :) Thanks for reading! Feedback, as usual, is welcomed. _


	6. stripper girls should stick together

**A/N: **_Glad to be finally turning over some stones here and revealing a few plot points. Of course, there will be more to come. Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing! :)_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**6: **

**stripper girls should stick together**

**summary: **_there's something sexy about a super hero nobody likes. _

"How many times are you going to kick it before you understand that kicking it isn't going to make it work?" Inara spoke through gritted teeth and a forced smile.

She was seething. It was all she could take of the Hammer standing behind her and fighting with the washing machine. Her plan was to ignore him but it had become ridiculous and now she just wanted him to stop.

"It may not be washing my clothes but at least I'm getting in some good practice so that I can kill Doctor Horrible and take my town back," The captain explained.

Inara stared at him, like he couldn't be serious, only to realize that he was. She almost wanted to slap herself for even thinking for a minute that this guy had anything to do with Mal. Instead, she settled for rolling her eyes and figured she'd play devil's advocate now that she had opened Pandora's box.

"And please, do tell me why you want to murder the doctor? Isn't that against your super hero code or something?" She asked, feigning interest.

The captain smirked, leaned forward and said, "That's how I'll get my super hero status back, by defeating my arch nemesis. A true hero would kill the man who killed his girlfriend. It falls right under the dark-and-lost-hero-who-must-avenge-his-lover-in-order-to-rise-back-up-from-the-bottom category. Sheesh, don't you read, woman?"

Inara stared right at him and replied, "I read. Just not picture books. Or cheesy, terrible comic books, in your case."

He didn't stop smiling at her and continued to lean forward, his hands resting on the machines on either side of her, cornering her.

He looked her up and down, clearly admiring her figure and lingering at her breasts before speaking in a softer, huskier voice, "A pretty girl like you could benefit from being my girlfriend by the time I rise to fame. You could be the woman who mended my broken heart. The city would love you."

Anger bristled off of Inara in waves and, defiantly, she found herself leaning close enough to Hammer so that he had to be the one to back away.

With a cold smile, she gave him his answer, "You'd have a lot more to worry about besides a broken heart if you ever proposition me again, _Captain_."

Inara enunciated his title and took him by surprise when she fingered the collar of his shirt before shoving him away from her. Her threat seemed to offend him, his expression that of a kicked dog. Inara wondered, for a flicker of a moment, if maybe she'd been too harsh. The guy was as down in the dumps as ever with everyone hating him and blasting him on every form of media.

Maybe that was why, before she left the Laundromat with fresh, clean clothes, she did something she didn't entirely mean to do.

"If you aren't going to be my girlfriend, can I at least get your name? No harm in that, right?" He'd called after her.

She had stopped and turned to face him and in that moment, all she could see was Malcolm Reynolds, standing before her with a five o'clock shadow, looking as desperate as he had the day she told him she was leaving Serenity.

"Inara," She told him.

It had slipped out so naturally that she didn't note the consequences until after she'd said it. He seemed to be repeating it to himself in his mind, a charming half-smile gracing his lips as he rolled her name around in his mouth.

She left before she could do any more damage.

But even as Inara was getting ready to go on stage and Badger was yammering away in her ear, she found herself thinking about the man she'd lost and the promise she'd kept.

_I was never supposed to outlive him_, she had once thought.

But five years later and they had developed an experimental cure and she knew that he'd have wanted her to live.

Even if the crew had disbanded after his death.

Even if she didn't have much left to live for after they all had gone their separate ways.

"You listenin' to a word I'm sayin, doll?" Badger's voice brought Inara back into the present and in the room where all the girls were getting dressed and ready for the night.

Inara apologized, "I...no, sorry. I have a lot on my mind is all."

She stared at the dolled up woman in the mirror, looking back at her with distant eyes. Badger stood next to her, as slimy as he had always been since she'd first met him on Persephone.

"When you're here, I want nothin' on your mind. Put a man in danger if you start usin' that pretty little head of yours, love. Now, as I was sayin', I got me a new girl. Real popular with the crowd on account you don't see too many redheads about. Her stage name's going to be Penny," Badger snorted at his own little mockery.

"Real name's Nandi. Bein' she's new and all, I figured you'd be able to show her the ropes and teach her the rules 'round here, love," Badger explained.

Nandi had shook her hand and smiled upon meeting her while Inara had to pretend like it was perfectly normal to be reuniting with yet another dead friend.

The beautiful red haired woman laughed when Inara asked her how she felt about her stage name, and explained, "Don't mind it much, actually. Girl had good taste in men. Besides, there's something undeniably sexy about a super hero like Hammer going rogue. It's a bonus that he's got a nice butt, too."

She'd winked at her and then went on stage for her debut as "Penny", leaving Inara to painfully realize that not even Nandi needed her anymore.

-.-

**A/N: **_Building some relationships and revealing some smaller bits here and there. It will all tie up nicely soon enough. Bear with me. As per usual, feedback of any kind is welcomed. :)_


	7. a cunning man in a cunning hat

**A/N: **_Like to thank all the people reviewing. It's nice to see your thoughts on this. Also, a thanks to all the new people following it. :) Hope I don't disappoint._

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**7:**

**a cunning man in a cunning hat**

**summary: **_there's something evil about people who wear hats..._

"That one's got his eye on you, Inara," Nandi whispered into her friend's ear.

She hadn't noticed him, standing there. The club was dark and there were always so many shady men hanging about, even after hours. But once Inara spotted him, she couldn't believe she had missed all six and a half feet of him. Surely enough, he was watching her, as Nandi had mentioned. His arms folded across his broad chest and sharp eyebrows quirked up with his piercing blue eyes focused on her.

If this man was anything like the Jayne she had known, it could have meant trouble. Especially if it was a Jayne that didn't have Mal around to keep him in line.

Inara got her cut from Badger, counted it twice and got her things to leave, all the while doing her best to ignore the burly man with the keen eyes. It was dark outside. Three AM in the morning, a dangerous time to be alone. But Inara ensured she was prepared. As she headed to the door, Nandi was beside her with a charming smile and her arm looping through hers.

"Didn't think I'd let you have him all to yourself, now did you?" She winked, and Inara was grateful for her presence.

It had drizzled earlier. The pavement was wet and there was moisture in the air but all that they heard was the clicking of their heels on cement. Nandi squeezed Inara's arm and leaned in close.

Her breath was warm against her ear when she said, "He's following us."

Inara dared not to look back. At the same time, she'd have liked to know why he was following her. The nagging curiosity plagued her. Was it possible that he recognized her? Is that why he had been watching her? Waiting for her?

Eventually, she couldn't help herself. She turned around to catch a glimpse of him, to see if he was still on their tail. But when she did, there was no one there. She stopped and Nandi turned to acknowledge her.

"Where'd he go?" Inara asked.

Nandi shrugged and said, "Who cares? As long as he's gone."

Inara glanced around the empty and wet streets but not a soul was seen. A car drove by, splashing water onto the sidewalk, but that was it.

Both women had called a cab and they waited together. Nandi's had come first and the redhead had left with the promise that Inara's ride would be there shortly. A cool breeze sent chills up and down Inara's spine. She hugged herself and rubbed at her bare arms in an effort to keep warm.

"Pretty whore like you shouldn't be working the corner this late," A slurred, male voice breathed into Inara's ear.

His hand had crept down her back and Inara had almost screamed at his sudden intrusion. She could smell the alcohol off him in pungent waves. Instead, she instinctively moved away only to have him grab her by the wrist with a strong grip. She was then forced to turn and face him and was surprised to see yet another familiar face: Atherton Wing.

He was still handsome, underneath all the scruff and the heavy coat. Inara tugged away from him and he stumbled forward. Just as she thought he was going to fall, someone had grabbed him by the collar. Jayne kept the man balanced and with a single hand, he lifted him up and tossed him aside like a rag doll.

Inara's eyes widened and she stood rooted to the spot, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Jayne smiled down at Atherton who was still struggling to get back up on his feet, and said, "Badger sends his regards."

Then, the taller man turned and acknowledged Inara, "Was on you for a while, that one. Badger sent me to take care of him. Name's Jayne. Badger's payin' me a pretty little price to protect his investments."

Inara had gotten her hopes up, thinking he was the same Jayne. It turned out he was only a new hire for Badger's security team. Just to be safe, he had walked her to her apartment building. It was an uncomfortable silence for Inara, since she didn't exactly know how to act around this Jayne.

He didn't seem to look at her or care for her presence whatsoever. But she did notice that he had a gun tucked into the back of his black cargo pants.

"So, you're a bodyguard?" Inara asked, trying to break the ice.

Without looking at her, he answered, "Only part-time. Badger said he needed someone and I needed the cash to keep my store open. So we reached a consensus."

Inara's eyebrows shot up, "You have a store?"

Jayne nodded, "Cobb's Cunning Hats for Gentlemen."

Inara had to bite back the burst of laughter that threatened to come out. The idea of Jayne as a hat salesman was too much to bear when she recalled the rough and tough mercenary from Serenity.

"There isn't anything funny about a man in a hat, little lady. Remember that." He left her with those words as she entered the elevator up to her apartment building.

It was another restless night for Inara. This time, she dreamt that she was on Serenity, except it was empty. She was alone on the vessel with no sound other than its thrumming engine that Kaylee had once worked so hard to keep alive. Inara's clothes were still splattered with his blood. Some of it had dried in her palms and her eyes ached all over again from the unshed tears.

She didn't know how but she'd somehow found the strength to make it to the bridge from her shuttle. On bare feet, the metal ground was cold and felt so real. But there was no pain, it was like she was floating. When she got there, she saw nothing but endless sky. They were in space, her and Serenity.

She turned and saw him there, leaning forward, admiring the view like she had been. There was blood on his shirt, holes where he'd been riddled with bullets. But the skin was intact.

"_You should have told me_," He stated.

She gulped.

He turned to her, blue eyes ablaze with a strange glow, unnatural. There were unshed tears ready to spill when he said, "_If you had told me, I would have saved you and it woulda never come to this_."

She awoke with a start, gasping for air and when she went to wash her face, all she could remember was the haunting way his eyes had burned and in her mind, she could hear River's voice chanting:_ "Two by two, hands of blue..."_

-.-

**A/N: **_And there's Jayne. :) To everyone asking about the rest of the cast, they will all make appearances in some way and/or form. So no worries. The dreams Inara seems to have are there for a reason, as I'm sure most have guessed. Can't say much more without giving it away. Thanks for reading! Any feedback is welcomed. _

_From here on, I'll include little summaries for the next chapter. _

**chapter eight: **_a damsel in distress needs saving from a hero, only this hero comes with a quirk and one that gets him into some heat! Inara seems to capture Billy's attention and now the doctor is curious about her presence in his world..._


	8. the harder they fall

**A/N: **_Sorry for the delay in updates, but it's cram time with school and it's just been brutal. Without further ado, here's the next chapter._

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**8:**

**the harder they fall**

**summary: **_life's hard when you suddenly suck at beating the crap out of people._

"Seems to me you'd be his star pupil, and anything of value's got to be protected," Jayne explained to her that next evening when Inara found him waiting for her outside of her apartment complex.

Inara sighed and replied, "I think I am fully capable of taking care of myself, thank you."

She started to walk away with Jayne hot on her heels.

"Badger don't seem to think so," Jayne stated matter-of-factly, eyeing her small body up and down as if to be sizing her up in a fight.

"Badger doesn't have anything to worry about," Inara commented, growing tired of the conversation.

Jayne snickered, "You're a little lady. If I wanted to make away with you, it'd be easy as pie."

"I'd dare you to try it," Inara threatened.

Jayne seemed to be contemplating what she had said as they walked down the busy street.

Finally, when he figured out what he wanted to say, he spoke up; "Look, all I'm saying is I'm grateful for this job and I'd appreciate it if you didn't spoil it for me by trying to be all independent woman like."

Inara laughed, "Ha! So the truth comes out. You just like what Badger is paying you to do this job. Sorry, but first thing I'm going to do when I get there is speak to that infuriating little man and tell him that I don't _need _a bodyguard."

Jayne made a low growling sound in his throat before speaking through his teeth, "Didn't look like you were handling yourself too well the other night when you were going to get mugged by that hobo."

"I would have done fine, actually. He'd just taken me by surprise. Had you given me a moment, it wouldn't have been a problem," Inara rebutted.

"Well, what about when Horrible's goons start coming after you? No more superheroes here to save the damsels anymore." Jayne was starting to sound desperate in convincing Inara she needed him.

"Badger said himself that Doctor Horrible isn't going to be meddling in this business, and I'll remind him of that if I have to," Inara stated.

Finally frustrated beyond relief, Jayne grabbed Inara roughly by her wrist, his large hand squeezing with a powerful grip. It was enough to get her to almost stumble back into him, and had taken her by complete surprise. She turned to face him, lifting her chin so she could stare up into the bigger man's intimidating eyes.

He held her there and, in a low, menacing voice, said, "You aren't going to tell Badger a damn thing. Did you hear me, lady?"

Inara tried tugging her wrist free to no avail. If one thing was certain, it was that Jayne had always been incredibly strong. It didn't seem to matter if he was a stupid merc for hire or a stupid hat salesman.

Inara glared at him heatedly and demanded, "Let me go. Now."

She tried tugging again but Jayne didn't loosen his hold. He just stared into her eyes with rage and violence that he was trying to keep at bay.

"You heard the lady, let her go!"

The intruding voice was loud enough to garner both the attention of Inara and Jayne. Inara, with a deep feeling of dread, recognized the voice before even looking at him. Yet somehow, in the back of her mind, she tried to convince herself otherwise. But Captain Hammer stood behind her, watching the debacle in front of him with Mal's eyes. His gaze, however, seemed to be focused on Jayne instead of her, and she was grateful for at least that tiny detail. It made her a touch uncomfortable whenever he looked at her.

Jayne sneered, "The hell do you want?"

Hammer's hand came up to Jayne's arm that was still gripping Inara's wrist. There was a threat in the action and Jayne acknowledged it.

"Need to clean your ears, pal? I said, let her go," Hammer instructed, eyes never leaving Jayne.

But Jayne held on tighter and grinned, "Or what? You going to cry if I don't?"

Hammer's lips formed a tight line at the jape. He stepped closer to Jayne and said, "Or I'll _make _you let go."

"Oh, yeah? You wanna dance, big guy?" Jayne asked, finally letting go of Inara and shoving her aside so that him and Captain Hammer were now squaring off.

Inara was reminded of two male apes, huffing and puffing their chests out, and beating on them with their fists. Also, she did not enjoy being manhandled.

"Don't call me fat, you fatty," Captain Hammer shoved Jayne backwards with his hands.

Inara thought that Hammer had expected Jayne to push him back, because it didn't seem like he even tried to dodge his fist when it connected to the middle of his face. Hammer stumbled backwards, covering his nose, but blood was already dripping down his chin and through his fingers.

When Hammer revealed his broken and bloodied nose, Jayne grinned victoriously and stretched out his arms, "You want some more?"

Inara had expected him to cry, like Jayne had insinuated. So, she was more than a little surprised that, even though his eyes burned with unshed tears, he looked as angry as Mal had after the tragedy at Whitefall. He was so blinded by rage that he didn't seem to be thinking when he ran at Jayne with a battle cry. The bigger man grinned maliciously and stretched out his arm at the last moment. Hammer ran right into it, full impact, falling to the pavement, and landing on his back in a huff of pain.

He would stay there, eyes closed and taking in shallow, quick breaths, his face a bloody mess. Jayne crouched beside him and said, "Aw, no powers anymore? Well, that isn't much fun."

Hammer struggled to get to his feet, but Jayne kicked him in the ribs before he could make any significant progress. The ex hero fell back to the ground, defeated.

Inara watched, wide-eyed and horrified. Not because Hammer was being beat senseless, but because the sight of it brought back the all too vivid memory of Mal's death.

Jayne strutted towards her, ready to grab her, when she slapped him hard, eyes alive with so much anger and tears.

"Don't you dare touch me," She spoke, venom on her tongue.

Jayne was taken aback by her attack, feeling the spot on his face that had reddened from where she hit him.

"I am sick and tired of being treated like some sort of porcelain doll," Inara seethed.

Hammer was almost sitting up at this point, but Inara wasn't finished.

"I don't belong to either of you, and I most certainly have no need of a bodyguard, much less a sham of a hero. Now, if you're done having your battle of who has the most testosterone, I have a job to get to."

With her final piece being said, Inara stormed off, shoving past the crowd that had formed around them when the fight had taken place. She didn't so much as spare a glance at either of the men she left behind her.

.-.

"It seems Captain Hammer may have lost his abilities to kick villain butt, but at least his new girlfriend is hot!"

"Ex-girlfriend, you mean. Did you see how angry she got? I don't think that relationship is going to last much longer, Fred."

"I sure hope not. I'd like to make my move on that fox. Meow."

"You'd think after losing what's-her-name so quickly, Hammer would be a little more devastated."

"Yet another reason to hate Captain Hammer."

"We have to go to a commercial break, but stay tuned for more clips of the Hammer getting his butt handed to him by some random guy."

Billy turned his TV off as his friend, Moist, walked into his office.

"So I take it you heard? Hammer's lost his super kick-ass strength," Moist said, smiling.

Billy brought a hand to his chin and seemed to be lost in thought when he asked, "What's her name?"

Moist paused before responding.

"Who? That girl in the video giving Hammer an earful?"

Billy nodded.

"Oh. No one really knows for sure. Word on the street's her name is Inara and she works for Badger. But there's nothing more on her. She's quite the mystery," Moist explained.

"Inara," Billy rolled her name around on his tongue, but said nothing more on the matter.

-.-

**A/N: **_And there it is; Billy making an appearance. Feedback is welcomed. :) Thanks for reading!_

**chapter nine: **_billy makes his move while hammer ends up with a new recruit for his cause, who just happens to be another familiar face..._


	9. wolf in sheep's clothing

**A/N: **_Again, a thanks to everyone following this and reviewing. Taking into consideration all the input. Here's the next chapter. :)_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**9:**

**wolf in sheep's clothing**

**summary: **_is it a sidekick if they don't have any special abilities?_

"Hoban Washburne, at your service, captain," the fair haired man saluted with a grin.

Captain Hammer stared at the shorter man standing in his doorway, unimpressed.

"How can you be at my service when you aren't even mayor anymore?" Hammer asked, looking genuinely confused.

Wash's smile fell, and he tried to think of a witty response, running a hand through his blonde spiky hair. When he didn't answer, Hammer moved away from the open door, and back into his apartment. Wash followed him inside, and almost tripped over one of the many cardboard boxes littering the tiled floor.

"Are you moving or something?" Wash asked, pointing at the stack of boxes against the wall.

Hammer went back to piling them all up when he replied, "Did you miss the memo where your wife, the new mayor, has evicted me from my own home?"

Wash made a face and said, "Right. She _would_ do that."

"Speaking of which, wouldn't she kill you if she knew you were speaking to me?" Hammer asked, rubbing his gloveless hands on his jeans.

"Zoe can't kill me. I'm my own man, now. I will do as I please," Wash proclaimed, a set look of determination on his face.

"So basically, you want to help me just because you know it will grate on her nerves, and because she stole your job," Hammer stated bluntly.

Wash stared at him, opened his mouth, and closed it again when he didn't know how to respond. He settled for a quick nod of his head.

Hammer quirked up an eyebrow. "Well, in that case, want to help me with these boxes?"

Wash shrugged, but started to work on packing up the remainder of the captain's things.

-.-

If it was Jayne at her door, she was going to slam it in his face and lock it. Then, she'd threaten to call the authorities on him if he persisted. Inara grabbed her satin robe and wrapped it around her as she walked barefoot towards the entrance of her little apartment. When she looked through the little peephole, what she saw standing on the other side had her taking a nervous step backwards.

She couldn't understand what he was doing here. She couldn't even imagine what he would want from her. It made her anxious, and she was debating on whether or not she should even answer him.

He knocked again.

"I know you're in there, Ms. Serra." He said, his face taking a funny form as he inched closer towards the peephole.

Inara took in a deep breath, and unlocked her door. She opened it, and peeked at the evil genius doctor, who had chosen to don a t-shirt and jeans rather than his now infamous red lab coat.

He smiled and waved at her; "Hey."

Inara eyed him with suspicion before replying, "Uhm. Hello."

The doctor dug his hands into his pockets and said, "This must seem a little strange, and normally I don't make home visits."

"How did you know my name, and where I live?" Inara asked him.

He looked taken aback by her accusation, and when he spoke, he sounded apprehensive, "What? Oh, I...uhm, you were all over the news. Hammer's new girlfriend, right?"

Inara's mouth tightened into a thin line when she protested, "I am _not_ his girlfriend!"

Doctor Horrible's eyebrows shot up, and he went on the defensive, "Of course not! I just meant that, uh, that's what they were saying on television."

He chuckled nervously, and scratched the back of his head.

Inara sighed, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Uhm, well. No, not exactly," he confessed.

Inara rolled her eyes and got ready to close the door. He stopped her before she could, and said, "Wait! I can explain."

Inara stood still, waiting.

"It's just, I find it so mind boggling, so strange. How you're the only other person who can see through all of this madness. I mean, you know Hammer is a fraud, but not because they told you he is. Yet, he seems infatuated with you, like some sort of lost puppy. A big, scary, stupid puppy, but a puppy nonetheless," he explained.

Inara's heart skipped a beat; was it possible that the doctor was somehow onto her? Did he know that she didn't belong in his world? She tried to calm herself down. There was no way he could suspect such a thing. The entire notion should seem ridiculous to a man of science. Then again, the Blue Suns had done this to her, and they were all men and women of science, the same science that had turned River into a trained weapon.

Doctor Horrible was not of their caliber. His death ray had backfired, and it had been Hammer who had unintentionally killed Penny.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Inara lied.

He stared her down, searching her eyes.

"Yes, you do. You're the only other sane person I've met. Not even Penny..." He winced at the mention of her name, and looked to the ground.

When the moment passed, he met her eyes again. This time there was no emotion, only emptiness when he spoke.

"Not even Penny saw through it, despite her kind heart and good intentions," He finished.

Inara folded her arms over her chest and asked, "Even if what you're saying is true...what do you want with me?"

None of it made sense; why was he seeking her out? He'd already removed Hammer as his arch nemesis. He had fame, money, and power. There was nothing that Inara could give him that he hadn't already claimed.

He seemed to pause at her question, almost as if he didn't know the answer himself.

Then finally: "Nothing. I won't make you do anything against your will, Ms. Serra."

He shuffled his feet and added, "You've drawn attention to yourself, now. I'm afraid you've become fair game to all the players."

She paled, but didn't say anything.

He stepped even closer to her now, eyes shifting down both sides of the hallway, as if to make sure no one would hear him when he spoke.

"I can help you, Ms. Serra."

-.-

**A/N: **_Hopefully I can be updating more frequently, now. School is done, but the last few weeks were real crunch time, so I was unable to update as I'd liked. :( As per usual, feedback is appreciated. _

**chapter ten: **_Inara relives her worst nightmare._


	10. coming undone

**A/N: **_I'm really bad with these updates. But, once this final exam is done and over with, I'm going to be writing like a crazed woman._

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**10:**

**coming undone**

**summary: **_but dreams are only dreams._

It had started with Jayne.

Zoe did what she could to keep the man in check, but she was no Mal. Even with her best efforts, finding jobs for the crew was difficult, and thus, the credits were too few and far between. It was only a matter of time before the mercenary had had enough. He would have never admitted it, but losing his captain was something that had afflicted him more than he liked. He was angrier more often, out of control even with other crew members. Everyone tried to calm him down, but Inara knew. It was his way of coping with the loss, and he would never be the same.

She always had a feeling that he'd have been the first one to leave, and one morning on a supply run, Jayne Cobb and his guns simply never came back. They'd waited, and Kaylee had insisted on giving him a few more minutes, but Zoe locked up the hatch and instructed River to fly Serenity off of Persephone. The heartbreak on Kaylee's face had been something the companion could never truly erase from her memory.

What came as a surprise to the entire crew was that Zoe was the second one to leave. The woman was skilled at masking her pain, and no one saw it coming. With each heist they managed to snag, familiar employers would always ask the inevitable questions, the ones that, had Inara paid attention, stealthily chipped away at Zoe's resolve.

"Where's Mal?"

"You got a new pilot?"

There came a point where she simply couldn't stand it anymore. It became harder and harder to answer the questions. Then, much like Jayne, Zoe became unstable. She accepted riskier heists, threw herself into dangerous situations, and killed mercilessly. Her dust devil roots were beginning to show, and apparently, Zoe had picked up on her own erratic behaviour as well. She knew she was too dangerous to be around the crew. So, one night, after an explosive fight with Simon in regards to her recklessness, Zoe began to pack her things.

But Inara only knew she was truly gone when River spun in her pilot's chair and stared blankly at the empty spot where Wash's toy dinosaurs once stood.

"She took him with her. She took him with her, and now they're both gone forever," the dishevelled, young girl commented.

Inara had to rush past Kaylee's bunk that evening, but it seemed that the girl's soft sobbing followed her to her shuttle. Sleep eluded her again that night. As it had almost every night.

It was clear as day that Serenity would no longer be in service.

The inevitable manifested into a damaging argument between Kaylee and Simon. The doctor wanted to abandon the ship, take his sister somewhere safe to keep her hidden. He wanted Kaylee and Inara to go with him, but Kaylee refused. Serenity was her home and she loved her, how could she leave her behind? It was the last piece of Mal left in the 'verse. Without Kaylee, the ship would simply fall apart. The problem was that without River, Serenity would no longer have a pilot. Kaylee insisted she'd learn with Inara's help. Tears had been streaming down her face in an endless flow, and her bottom lip refused to stop quivering. She knew she'd never see Simon again.

They left him and River planet side, in a small town as per his request.

If it had caused Kaylee any further grief, she was good at conquering it. Wiping her tears, the girl sat down in the pilot's chair that once belonged to River, and started analyzing the buttons, eager and determined to learn. Inara thought she was just eager to do anything that would take her mind off of losing Simon.

They didn't last much longer, the two of them.

The empty spaces and the quiet rooms were too painful. Too many memories, too many ghosts. Inara abandoned her shuttle and found herself in Mal's bunk more often than not. His scent was still there, but faint. His things remained where they were, untouched, undisturbed. Just like how he had left them before he had gone out on the heist that had ended his life.

Eventually, Serenity still fell apart.

Just like her crew.

Just like Inara.

Without her captain, without her family, without love, the ship became a desolate place to live in.

Nonetheless, it was difficult to give her up, to actually let her go forever.

They didn't give them much for her, and Kaylee had been offended to the point of wanting to scratch the buyer's eyes out. Inara held her back and completed the transaction instead.

With Serenity gone, Inara returned to her training house, and Kaylee went back home to her family.

Before they parted, Kaylee had looked into the companion's eyes, her own still shining with unshed tears, and stated, "You never cried, 'Nara. Not once, you never cried. Not even when he...not even when you lost him,"

_Control._

_ Composure._

She wasn't allowed to break down. She had to be strong, because she was the rock. She could still remember the way River had crawled underneath the operating table, screaming. She stayed there, shaking her head and rocking back and forth while covering her ears. The poor girl couldn't tune out everyone's grief, and it amplified within her. She could barely cope with her own. Inara couldn't add to that, she couldn't burden her further. Instead, the companion had crawled under there with her, and held her against her breast as she screamed and screamed and cried.

With every fibre of her being, Inara ignored the fact that Mal's lifeless and bloodied body rested above their heads.

She had entered the training house with poise and a smile. But as soon as the door of her bedroom had closed, Inara Serra came undone.

-.-

**A/N: **_This chapter was as hard to read as it was to write. It's such a painful idea that the crew would simply go their own way without their captain, but I can't help but feel it's what would happen. Mal's the glue, and even if Zoe is captain material, I simply don't think she'd last that long if she lost both Wash and Mal. Apologies for the tragedy, but it's crucial to the story and to explain why Inara is as miserable as she is. _

**Chapter eleven: **_billy has coffee with Inara and learns that he's also got a new nemesis. _


	11. ice cream man

**A/N: **_An update sooner than normal. I caught up with most of my studying, so I'm finding more time to continue writing. Thanks to all who continue to read and review. _

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**11:**

**ice cream man**

**summary: **_beware of the ice cream man, the ice cream man, the ice cream man. _

It was nothing but a memory now. Inara tried to convince herself of that. She wasn't living in that world anymore. She was in this one, and in this one, her friends were happy. Nonetheless, the pain was still all too real, all too fresh. Mal's death had separated the entire crew for good, and Inara never truly knew what had become of her family.

She stared out into the morning sky from her window, the sunlight peering through her curtains, and thought of that world. She thought of Kaylee the mechanic, Zoe the war torn hero, Jayne the mercenary, Simon and his sister. She wondered what it was she'd left them to deal with, what they were doing all those years later. For a moment, it was almost as if she expected that familiar hull of the Firefly vessel to breach the distance.

But it never did.

It never would.

Serenity was gone. As was her crew and her captain, and nothing would replace that void that it left inside of her.

_He wanted me to live, _she thought meekly.

And it was that thought that had her legs working again. Just as Inara was set to leave her apartment, she saw the flimsy piece of paper that was sprawled on the wooden tiles by her door. Almost as if someone had slid it in from underneath the door crack.

Puzzled, she stared at it for a moment, wondering what it was. Finally, and hesitantly, Inara decided to pick it up, turning it over so as to see its contents. Sure enough, in what looked to be messy, doctor like handwriting, was a note. It read:

_Coffee at 8? Heart of Gold. _

_-Billy_

Inara rolled her eyes. She didn't want to go. As a matter of fact, every fibre of her being was telling her it was a terrible idea. She needed to avoid Hammer, Billy, and all the other super powers that influenced the world. As long as she remained under the radar, she would be safe. Besides, the Blue Sun Organization wouldn't allow anything to happen to her.

Then again, there was still something haunting about Billy's warning. An image of Mal from her previous nightmare, with the shining eyes, flashed in her mind. She shook it away.

She stared at the paper and chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

It was just coffee.

She could at least hear him out.

Besides, what was the worst thing that could happen?

-.-

She could barely recognize him when she'd entered The Heart of Gold Cafe. He was wearing a black hat, large, dark sunglasses, and the collar of his red coat was raised to obscure most of his face. He had been nursing a drink, but the coffee cup was empty. He had waited an extra hour for her arrival. Yet, once he saw her, he waved her over to the corner of the cafe.

Hesitantly, Inara walked towards his little table, and began immediately regretting her decision after seeing Billy's ridiculous getup.

"Why are you dressed like that?" She asked, taking her seat across from him, and placing her purse on her lap.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm in disguise." He whispered to her.

Inara wanted to make another comment, but shook her head and figured it would only be a waste of time. The doctor was shaping up to be quite a strange creature.

"I didn't think you were going to come," Billy stated.

Inara sighed and admitted, "Truthfully, neither did I."

"Why did you, then?" He asked.

His glasses made it hard to tell if he was looking at her or not, and it unnerved Inara.

"I...I'm not sure," She replied honestly, staring at her lap, trying to figure that out herself.

"Well," Billy started, "It's good that you did, anyways."

Inara quirked up an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"Like I said, I can help you," Billy explained.

Inara smiled sarcastically and asked, "Help me with what? I'm not in any sort of danger."

"Yes, you are. For whatever reason, Captain Hammer is interested in you, and it's gotten Bad Horse's attention. Trust me, you do not want his attention. Unless, you know, you wanted to join the evil league of evil. In that case...then I suppose it would be a good thing," Billy trailed on, staring into the distance as he lost his train of thought.

Inara shook her head, "I do not want to join any league of anything! And just because Captain Snobbypants is interested in me, doesn't mean I'm interested in him. So, why would anyone even care about what I do?"

Billy sighed and rubbed at his temple with gloved fingers.

"Don't you see?" He started, leaning closer towards her now, "Bad Horse wants Hammer gone, as in dead. And you're going to be the bait to reel him in! I don't know if you've noticed lady, but Hammer's lost his powers, which makes him fairly easy prey."

Inara blinked, taking in everything Billy was telling her, but not quite believing it. The world was just too surreal to understand. Then again, hadn't she come from a world where a young girl could assassinate an army single handed?

"No," She shook her head, and argued, "If Hammer is harmless without his so called 'abilities', then why's it matter to Bad Horse if he lives or dies?"

Billy took off his sunglasses and looked Inara in the face, the familiar sadness evident in his eyes. She could understand why he wanted to hide that pain from her, from everyone. Underneath it all, the doctor looked tired and worn out.

He sighed and confessed, "I don't really know, either. All I know is that he wants to use you to get to him."

Inara squinted, analyzing Billy's expression before finally responding with disbelief, "That simply doesn't make any sense. Hammer doesn't care about me. Sure, he ogles me at the Laundromat and makes pathetic, flippant passes at me, but he wouldn't risk himself for me, especially without his stupid strength. He's a coward! A complete coward!"

Billy had to smile at that, nodding his head in agreement at her analysis. "No one's arguing with you there," He stated.

Inara stood up then, grabbing her purse and making her way to leave. Just as she was about to turn away, Billy had grabbed her by the arm, halting her where she stood. She turned on him, dark eyes shining with anger.

She pulled her hand away aggressively, and said, "Even if, for a second, I did believe all this frippery you're spreading, why in the world would you want to help me? Bad Horse is your boss, isn't he? Why would you be disobeying him? Shouldn't you be helping him accomplish his goal?!"

Billy opened his mouth to reply, but just before he could answer to Inara's accusations, the cafe door opened and another familiar face strolled in. Inara gaped at the sight when she noticed him, and Billy nearly tripped over his chair.

Shepherd Book smiled, cocking the large, silver colored weapon in his arms. It buzzed to life, glowing an eerie blue, a strange cool mist evaporating from around it.

With it directly pointed in Billy's general direction, the Shepherd jibed, "It's Johnny Snow and the ice beam! Now, who wants some ice cream from grandpa?"

-.-

**A/N: **_Shepherd is such an overlooked and under appreciated character, so I felt it necessary to include him in this. In Dr. Horrible, Billy always speaks about a Johnny Snow, but we're never given his identity. So I took it, and gave it to Shepherd. The real question is: Is he a good guy or a bad guy? Next chapter might just reveal that. :) Thanks for reading!_

**chapter twelve: **_Johnny Snow establishes himself as a fierce competitor. But is it enough to convince Inara of all these shenanigans a very bad horse has been operating? _


	12. wasn't born a shepherd

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**12:**

**wasn't born a shepherd**

**summary: **_pick up the role of damsel in distress, gracious lady. _

Inara sank onto the floor of her apartment, after closing the door and locking it behind her. She held her head in her hands. The day's events had been beyond bizarre. She was beginning to actually worry, and, even though she hated admitting it, she might have been starting to believe Billy's words. Something was at work here, and it went beyond her understanding. It was becoming entirely probable that she was part of some bigger picture. A picture that she had no clue about.

-.-

"You aren't Johnny Snow! But, that is definitely his ice beam. How'd you get that?!" Billy cried, still backing into the table as all the people in the cafe watched on in horror.

Shepherd Book smiled, still pointing the gun at the doctor.

"I owe you no explanation, boy. Now, it's about time I made a popsicle out of that ridiculous head of yours!"

Billy's eyes widened, but then he quickly started shoving his hands into his jacket in a desperate search of something.

"Not today you won't!" Billy exclaimed, as he pulled out a small, round ball, and threw it to the ground before his feet.

Inara covered her face as smoke wisped all about, obscuring everyone and everything around her. She heard the sound of glass shattering, and then a hand shoved her out of the way of the flying glass shards. She stumbled, but didn't fall, owing that to some sheer luck. As the smoke began to thin and clear, and people's shouting escalated, Inara saw that everyone was fighting to get out of the cafe in a hurried panic. Shepherd Book stood by her, ice beam raised and no longer buzzing. Cool air danced around it, still. He looked angry, staring off into the distance where the doctor could be seen running down the street.

She stared at him, disbelieving.

_But, I saw you die._

That day on Haven, the Shepherd had perished because of his bravery. Bled out to death. Yet, here he was, standing next to her, very much alive. First Nandi, and now Book.

He turned to acknowledge her, and said, "Are you alright, Ms. Serra?"

"Fine," she replied, calmly yet reproachful.

He nodded, "Good. Captain Hammer will be pleased. It's a shame that the doctor got away this time. But, not to worry, I'll be sure to get him the next time."

"Captain Hammer? Hammer put you up to this?!" Inara cried, disbelieving and suddenly angry.

Shepherd looked at her, confused.

"Well, I wouldn't say he put me up to it, exactly. As a matter of fact, he doesn't know a thing about this encounter," Shepherd explained, a tinge embarrassed.

Inara waited for an explanation.

Upon meeting her steely gaze, Shepherd sighed, and put away his weapon, strapping it against his back.

"We're hoping saving you, and taking out the doctor, might just earn us a spot on the Council of Champions. One word from Hammer, and that fate might just be sealed," He confessed.

"_We_?" Inara questioned.

"Yes," Shepherd started, "We. As in, the real Johnny Snow and I."

-.-

"We're sorry, Captain, but with all this negative attention, we just can't have you on the Council anymore," Elementia explained rather apologetically.

Hammer gaped, "B-But, what? Why? I'm still hero material, no matter what those news reporters claim!"

"No can do, none of the others even want to talk to you, let alone be associated with you," The dark haired heroine continued, blocking the way to the chamber where the council would meet.

"This is injustice! I am the Hammer! I've saved lives and shoved my boot up evil's rear end! I have more than earned my spot on the Council!" Captain Hammer protested.

Elementia folded her arms over her chest, and remained in her place, unfazed by Hammer's claims. After a moment of silent staring, Hammer threw his fist into the brick wall right next to the tall brunette.

Nothing happened. Elementia did not flinch. And then, Captain Hammer collapsed to the floor on his knees, clutching his hand against his chest, and letting out a soft whine as he went down.

"Well, isn't this a sight? The Hammer, taken out by a brick wall. Pretty pathetic, Captain," Elementia jibed before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving the fallen hero to fend for himself.

-.-

A curt knock on the apartment door.

Inara froze when she heard it.

For some reason, answering her door had been bringing her a heap of trouble and bad luck lately, and she'd just about had enough excitement for the day. She could really use a break from it all. Not to mention, she had to be at work very soon, and was already running behind schedule. Badger would be taking it out of her pay, if she arrived later than he liked.

She got to the door, and peeked through the hole, cautious, and treading lightly so as to not make her presence known.

Upon recognizing the face on the other side, Inara let out the breath she'd been holding, glad it wasn't the Hammer, the Doctor, or any other character from this world. Relieved, she unlocked her door, and let the man inside.

He stepped forward, and greeted her with a smile that had always unnerved her, even back on Ariel where she'd first met him. His movements were so perfect, so flawless, that it almost seemed...robotic. There was also a strange emptiness to his cold, blue eyes, but she tried not to dwell on that. He was here to help, of course, right?

He was a good guy. So why was it that she couldn't shake the feeling? Why did his presence make her entire body shiver, and her skin break into goose flesh? Especially when she noticed his hands.

There was only one thing that continued to enter Inara's mind after she noticed them, only one thing that crept underneath her skin like a parasite. As hard as she tried, as much as she played up the pleasant role of companion, her eyes lingered on the hands.

"Please, make yourself at home," she'd offered.

She met his face when he looked at her, and she tried not to shudder. She tried not to remember.

But it was River's voice in her head, constantly replaying, constantly reminding her.

It was River she thought of when she saw the gloves; the same gloved fingers that poked and probed and touched and showed no mercy.

It was the touched girl's voice that whispered her chant into the confines of Inara's skull, over and over, trapped inside, echoing.

She tried to pretend it wasn't so; she tried to look away when he took a seat on her couch with his perfect posture. But try as she might, she just couldn't pull her gaze away from the way his hands rested in his lap. Folded, neat.

Blue.

His gloves were blue.

_Two by two, hands of blue._

"Shall we begin, Inara Serra?"

-.-

**A/N: **_I did say that the Blue Sun will have a LOT to do with this story, and a lot to do with how Inara ended up here. It's moving a bit slow, I know, but every detail counts. There's a good reason for everything as it all builds up to quite the finale. Again, thanks for all the support, reviews, and feedback! And of course, thanks for reading. :)_

**chapter thirteen: **_doctor horrible plans his next move after a meeting with bad horse himself, hammer encounters the wrath of zoe alleyne, and inara receives some devastating news. _


	13. he'll make you his mare

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**13:**

**he'll make you his mare**

**summary: **_it's a horse. and he's evil. _

"We apologize for such a later visit," he started.

Inara took a spot across from him, on one of her sofas. She tucked her skirts beneath her, and sat up straight and attentive.

She smiled, shook her head, "That's fine."

The man returned the smile, but something about it was putting her off; it was unnatural. There was an awkward silence, and Inara found it easier to stare at her lap than at the man before her. She brushed her hair behind her ear, and waited.

"As you know, we are developing a cure for you, specifically catered to those afflicted with your disease process. We thank you for partaking in our case study involving this new treatment therapy," He explained.

Inara was familiar with the words; they were the same ones she'd heard back on Ariel, and at almost every visit she received from the Blue Sun Organization since then. She nodded once in acknowledgement.

"However, your body continues to decline outside of this world, but at a much slower pace than typically expected," he began, staring at her with a piqued curiosity, "You are quite a phenomenal specimen, Inara Serra. You had already outlived many of the other subjects even before you had come to us. You have proven to many of the scientists that perhaps, it is not at all a lost cause. Of course, you are no River Tam," he concluded, still smiling.

Inara felt the blood leave her face, felt her eyes widen as she stared up into the eerie blue gaze of her guest.

He stood up then, looking down at her when he spoke, "There is no need for you to worry, Inara Serra. No harm shall come to you for your involvement with the Tams."

He bent down, cold, gloved fingers delicately grazing her cheek.

"You are far too valuable for that," he reassured her.

Not being able to take his presence any longer, Inara stood up abruptly, looking everywhere but at his face.

"Thank you for the visit, but I do believe I'm running late for work," Inara stated, moving towards her apartment door.

She was rattled, shaken. She was terrified. She just wanted him to leave. She opened her door, and waited. When he reached her, he paused and stared. She looked to the floor.

"Good day to you, Inara Serra. We hope to see you again, soon." With that, he left her apartment.

Inara shut the door tightly and dressed all the locks of her door. If she was quiet, she could still hear the maddened thrumming of her heart in her chest.

-.-

"You can't be serious. You can't possibly expect me to believe that you, the ultimate horrible doctor of all horribleness, ran away from a wannabe Johnny Snow, who, by the way, is also a wannabe! I mean, come on! You defeated Hammer! _The_ Captain Hammer! Leader of the Council of Champions! The guy's a joke now! How can you be scared of a grandpa?!" Moist argued.

Billy looked pale, spaced out.

"You don't get it. He had a weapon, and it actually worked. He knew how to use it! I'm telling you, that guy is strong. There's no way, no way I can take him!" Billy rocked back and forth in his chair, nervously chewing on his bottom lip.

Moist rolled his eyes. "You better have something better to tell Bad Horse. Can't imagine this'll go over well with the evil steed."

Before Billy could respond, the doors to Bad Horse's office creaked open, catching the attention of both men in the waiting room.

Both of them stared at the figure that stepped out.

The man wore a suit, a simple one. He was clean shaven, and had striking blue eyes. Moist stared shamelessly as he walked past and barely acknowledged the existence of the other people in the room. He straightened out his tie, and walked out in a few long strides. When he was gone, Moist hit Billy in the arm.

"Did you see that suit?! Man, he was practically sweating evil!" Moist exclaimed, still staring after the suspicious character.

Billy's mouth became a tight line, and he looked perplexed, lost in thought.

"Doctor Horrible? Bad Horse will see you now," said the grim looking servant by the doors.

Billy stood to attention, but just as he made to enter the lavish office space, he spoke under his breath, "Who the heck wears latex gloves at a meeting?"

-.-

The Hammer was nervous. The Hammer was never nervous, especially around pretty ladies, and the new mayor, although wed, was certainly a pretty lady. He stared into the camera, and threw on his most charming smile, running a hand through his perfect hair. He could see his reflection in the screen, and damn, did he look ruggedly handsome. Knock 'em dead, champ, kind of handsome. She'd never be able to resist, especially after putting up with that scrawny, small, and pasty husband of hers for so many years.

But all Zoe Alleyne did was roll her eyes when he saw her face flicker onto the little screen. "The hell do you want, Hammer? Got some nerve steppin' onto my property. Lucky I don't shoot you myself," she threatened.

Despite the bad start, Hammer kept vigil, still confident he could win her over to his case.

"Well, you see, mayor Alleyne, there have been some rather unfortunate incidents leading to an eviction from my own home," he started, using his bedroom voice.

Zoe smirked with satisfaction. "Oh, is that right?"

She folded her arms over her chest, feigning interest in what Hammer had to say.

He licked his lips anxiously, and treaded onwards like the hero he once was, "Yes, actually. Now, I don't have any issues leaving, since it's been at your request, and I never deny a beautiful woman anything," he winked, but it didn't faze her, "However, it poses a problem because now, I have no living quarters-"

Zoe cut him off, "You poor dear, can't find anywhere else to stay, Captain?"

Hammer took in a breath, calming his nerves. He leaned forward, as if to be intimate with the image of Zoe's face on the screen.

"I did have...preparations, of course. But, I can't follow through with them unless...a certain, lovely, just, perfect mayor would remove that awful threat of her husband losing his place if he shared it with me," Hammer pleaded, trying to look as sincere as possible.

The expression on Zoe's face remained neutral. She wasn't buying any of it. After a moment of silence, she also leaned forward, the corners of her mouth twitching into a small smile.

"Or, how about, this lovely, just, perfect mayor will make sure you starve if you so much as speak to her husband ever again, hmm? Now get off my property, or I'll shoot you," She cooed sweetly in her sultry voice.

Without waiting for Hammer's response, Zoe switched off the screen and left the old hero with his mouth open, all the charisma gone from his expression.

-.-

Moist had been right; Bad Horse had been far from pleased, no matter the story Billy gave him. He had whinnied, and broken the third wooden desk that week. Billy had a few splinters because of it. A true villain would not have run from a wannabe, much less a grandpa. The leader of the ELE also had heard about the doctor's unscheduled meeting with Inara Serra. When he discovered that Billy had made no more progress with the dark haired vixen, the doctor almost took a hoof to the face. Bad Horse emphasized again that he wanted Hammer dead, permanently, and all of Billy's arguing didn't seem to change the evil steed's mind.

Defeated, Billy was lost in thought on the drive home. There had to be a way to get to Inara, there just had to be. What Bad Horse really wanted with her, the doctor couldn't tell. Somehow, he didn't really buy into the story of using her to get to Hammer. It was obvious that the hero turned zero wasn't capable of love or caring or sacrifice or any human emotion, really. He probably wouldn't blink twice if they'd threatened to end Inara's life. The stupid oaf would turn around, and find himself another.

Just like he had with...

Penny...

Anger consumed Billy, and he suddenly didn't know why he was even trying to protect Hammer from Bad Horse's wrath.

That was it.

He wasn't going to ask any more questions. He wasn't going to protect Inara Serra, no matter how much he didn't want to hurt her.

He was going to do his job, and it was going to be horrible.

And when Hammer died, truly died, Billy would smile, and finally find peace.

For the first time in his life, Doctor Horrible let out the most perfect, evil, sinister laugh. It was a total shame that nobody else had heard it.

-.-

**A/N: **_Shoutout to ebfiddler and twisha for their awesome reviews. :) And also reaverattack for sticking with it from the beginning! Thanks, guys. We're sort of getting into it, now. Expect lesser filler chapters, and some more major revelations in regards to what Inara is doing here, and what Hammer's got in common with Mal! _

**chapter fourteen: **_The Doctor makes a house call, Hammer and Billy learn the hard way that they can't really be in a room together, and Inara learns something peculiar about the Hammer. _


	14. everyone's got a villain of their own

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**14:**

**everyone's got a villain of their own**

**summary: **_she's not THAT sort of doctor._

Inara was going to switch Laundromats.

Either that or she was just going to have to live with dirty laundry for the rest of her life.

It wasn't fair. Why should she have to leave, when they were the ones invading her personal space? She had found it first. It was within perfect walking distance from her apartment complex, it was typically dead in the evenings, it stayed open late, and the owners were very kind to her. She'd even had a favorite machine that didn't gobble up her precious coins. She didn't _want_ to leave, but this was getting ridiculous.

First it had been Hammer, and now it was Billy. Both men had taken a perch on either side of her, specifically using the machines near her. It didn't make sense when there was an entire room full of unused washing machines. Inara was putting her foot down; she wasn't going to move just because two pigheaded men were trying to worm their way into her life.

She could feel the tension between them buzzing, coming off of them in waves. She could practically touch it, it was so thick. If she looked up, she would catch them glaring at one another. Instead, she focused on separating the colours of her clothing.

"So, Inara. Where do you work?" It was Billy making the first attempt at small talk this time, purposely ignoring the tall, intimidating man on the other side of her.

Inara took in a deep breath, not looking up from her task. It wasn't even because she was ignoring Billy, but it wasn't easy admitting what she was in this world. A stripper didn't have the same credentials that a companion did. It was more shameful, promiscuous. She didn't answer.

Hammer mocked Billy with a chortle. It drew the doctor's attention immediately, and he glared past Inara.

"What? Did I say something funny, big guy?" Billy spat, his tone of voice gleaning an icy edge.

Hammer kept his smirk, shook his head, and didn't meet Billy's accusing eyes.

"Nice try, pipsqueak," Hammer commented.

Billy leaned over Inara's pile of clothes, agitating her. "You mean the 'pipsqueak' that handed your butt to you?"

Hammer's smile fell, Inara groaned and rolled her eyes, and Billy smiled victoriously at his own jibe. The Captain's facial muscles twitched when he acknowledged the blonde's smugness.

"Seems you and I remember that day a little differently." Hammer's voice was cold, low, menacing. It reminded Inara of Mal when he would be all business, or when a job would go south.

Billy's smile only grew. "You mean, you don't remember the part where you fell over and started crying for your mommy? Because, I remember that part quite vividly, and it was pretty funny," Billy laughed.

Hammer slammed his fist against Inara's machine with a loud thud. It caused her to jump back, but didn't have the impact it should have had if he'd still had his impressive strength. "Don't be bringing my mother into this, shrimp!"

Billy stood his ground, unaffected by Hammer's insults and his imposing size. Instead, he seemed to be highly amused by his antics, like he was watching an ape bang against its cage. "Or what? You gonna go tell her that the mean doctor was picking on you?"

"That's it. You're gonna get it, little man." The Captain pointed a finger in Billy's direction.

"I'd like to see you try!" Billy countered, his smug facade fading away into pure rage.

Inara had had enough of the testosterone match. "_Bì zuǐ_!"

Both men stood to attention, staring at the woman in bewilderment.

"Was that...did you just...speak in Chinese?" Billy finally asked her, appearing confused.

Hammer echoed his concern, "You know Chinese?"

Inara shook her head, long, loose curls swaying with her. She was agitated, angry, on edge, and all she wanted to do was wash her clothes, and go home. "I can't deal with the two of you right now. This is absurd!"

She whirled on Billy, focusing dark eyes on him. She had gotten so close to him that he had needed to take a step back. "_You_! Billy, or Doctor Horrible! Or whatever it is you go by these days! I'm getting fed up with you showing up at my door, following me when you think you're in disguise! Just because you're wearing glasses doesn't make you incognito! I can _see _you!"

Billy's mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. He was speechless, not sure of what point to argue first; his name, or defending his suspicious behaviour. Whatever would have been his decision, he didn't get the chance, because Inara had turned to face Hammer, who was grinning because Billy had been getting lectured. When the woman had turned her glare to him however, his smile was quickly replaced with a frown.

"And then there's you! You, you, you... _dòuzhānǎojīn_! I don't even know your actual name, and don't even think about trying to convince me it's 'The Hammer'!" Inara laughed sarcastically after her comment, disbelieving.

With that said, she stuffed her clothes into her basket angrily, and ignored the stunned men at her side.

She held it against her chest, and stormed towards the door. The bell of the entrance chimed, and with one foot outside, she cried back one last instruction, "Just leave me alone from now on, _both_ of you!"

She rushed down the street, walking fast and muttering under her breath. The wind played with her curls, bringing them to her face, obscuring her eyes. She blew at it, annoyed. When it did nothing, she swatted at her hair like a petulant child having a tantrum.

"Inara! Wait!" She heard her name being called out from behind her. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was that had followed her. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. She walked quicker.

"Hey! 'Wait' doesn't mean go faster! Cut me some slack here!" He shouted, sounding closer than before.

Figuring she wouldn't be rid of him quite easily, she turned on him the second he'd gained on her, and took him by surprise. He came to an abrupt halt, took a step backwards as he was met with her fury.

"What?! Didn't you get the message, or does 'leave me alone' not compute for you?!" Inara glared.

"I...well, no. I mean, yes. I mean...that's not why I came out here," the Captain tried to explain, running a hand through his fringe in exasperation. Once upon a time, the gesture had been endearing to her, but this wasn't the right time, place, or person.

Inara rolled her eyes, and turned on her heel, bored of the conversation already. She'd expected him to follow her, to give chase. Hammer didn't seem like a man to give up easily. He was nothing but persistent. So, it came as a bit of a shock when she didn't hear his heavy footfalls behind her.

"You asked me what my name was, right? My real name?" He shouted after her from the spot she'd left him.

She continued to walk, convincing herself not to turn around.

"Malcolm! My actual name...its Malcolm."

She stopped.

Frozen, rooted to the cement, feet feeling heavier than iron. Her fingers were numb; she was going to drop the basket. The colour drained from her face, the world suddenly spinning around her. Hammer was still talking at her, but she couldn't hear him, couldn't focus.

"I know, I know. It's such a nerdy name, which is why I don't actually go by it. Seems it would fit those oddball science fiction fans better. You know the kind, the ones that like to dress up as me and other less important people. Pathetic, right?" He drabbed on in the background.

He was walking towards her now, down the sidewalk. Inara could feel her eyes sting, knew that she wouldn't be able to hold the tears back this time. It was too much.

He wasn't Mal.

He couldn't be.

He was nothing like him, nothing.

They might have had the same stupid hair, the same nose, the same piercing blue eyes, the same square jaw, and even the same obnoxious smirk, but Hammer was not Mal Reynolds.

Before he reached her, Inara ran. She took off as fast as she could, as far away as possible. He shouted her name again, but didn't appear to have followed her. She didn't stop until she was in the safety of her apartment, her heart beating a mile a minute.

They came, streaming down her cheeks, and the memories came with them. All the time they'd spent, all the fiery kisses, the passionate embraces, the moments shared in a tangle of sheets. Replaying in her mind, like a movie. Five years. He'd given her five years of bliss, happiness, in a desolate 'verse where there seemed to be none. And yet, all of it had come crashing down in the single moment it had taken for his life to leave his body.

-.-

"Damage. Repaired, but damage nonetheless! Tissue necrosis, cell death, apoptosis, almost like a cancer. No, not quite cancer. No signs of abnormal growth, or tumors," River Tam spoke aloud, pacing the length of Inara's living room.

The girl's long, dark waves obscured most of her face as she pondered. Dr. R. Tam did not seem the type to make house calls, which was more of a reason for Inara to let her in when she'd shown up at her door. She'd burst through the entrance, clutching papers in her hands as she cried out a string of medical jargon. Much like she was doing now.

"Immune response normal, white blood cell count within boundaries, no sign of infection. Troponin levels not indicative of cardiac necrosis. Autoimmune response? No. No presence of mitochondrial antibodies, but scarring is visible. Blood sugar stable, A1C test disproves the probability of diabetes mellitus, and besides, that level of scarring would need years of untreated diabetes to occur. Scar tissue mimicking systemic lupus erythematosus...?" River was lost in her own thought processes, Inara not able to keep track with what she was analyzing.

"It doesn't make sense! It doesn't make any sense! No evidence of discoid lupus or lupus arthritis, skin is intact and free of rashes and flaking!" River grabbed one of Inara's bare arms and lifted it above her head, examining it.

She let go of her only when she was satisfied, and then resumed her pacing. "No deformities of hands or feet, plaque build-up in arteries not significant enough to cut off blood supply to heart or brain cells. Lung sounds are perfectly clear in all four quadrants, yet scarring of lung tissue exists! How? _How_?!"

River clutched at her head, and took a seat on one of Inara's couches, rocking back and forth. The older woman didn't know what to make of the Tam sister's disturbed reaction, but it only took a few familiar words, words that she'd heard many times from doctors, for her to understand what the girl had learned. She was talking about her, about her once dying body. Only this body wasn't actively dying, as Simon had confirmed many times over.

"It doesn't make sense. It can't, it's not physically _possible_. How are they functioning with so much useless scar tissue? Where did it all come from? Why? What sort of disease process does this, and reverses itself so completely? How are you even _breathing_?!" River cried, staring at Inara like she was some sort of alien life form.

She couldn't hold her gaze, and stared at the tiled floor instead, hugging herself. How would she explain it? How could she ever? Of course it didn't make any sense. This world didn't have the technology to spot it, to know what the Blue Sun had done to her in an effort to cure what someone else had started. It almost made Inara want to smile, how River would be the only one perceptive enough to catch on, to pay attention. Yet, not even her brilliant mind could unravel a mystery like that without the help of the right advancements in healthcare.

"You passed the SMMSE. Inara, do you have headaches?" River asked, probing, searching for some sort of explanation, a clue to the puzzle.

Inara knew she wouldn't find any. But she shook her head in response, anyways.

River sighed, and buried her head into her hands, muttering more medical jibberish to herself, "Thyroid producing adequate T3 and T4 hormones. Iron deficiency...iron levels are low, but not low enough to cause anemia. Can be fixed with ferrous gluconate three hundred and twenty five milligrams, once daily. If it persists, upgrade dosage to three times daily..."

It was sweet how she was so desperate to fix her, even now. She'd been just as fierce about it in another life, too. Except, that River had known exactly what was wrong with her, and had been certain enough to tell her there was no way out of it. She had come off cold, frightening, foreboding. But Inara had caught the bright light of the medbay, on, even after everyone else had fallen asleep. If she'd peeked through the window, she'd have seen the young girl still hunched over test tubes, vials, blood, text books, and syringes, her small hands working feverishly while her mouth whispered words only she could understand.

It wouldn't have been too bad. A couple of years, with the expensive treatment regime Inara had been on, and she'd be lucky to make it to her late thirties. Considering the mortality rate of it, that would have been a blessing.

If only she hadn't fallen for the Captain.

If only he hadn't loved her the way that he had.

It would have been easier, to slip away into nothingness, with no one left to miss her, or to care. Her clients would have found another competent, beautiful companion. They would forget about her in moments.

But, instead, she had built a little, comfortable home. When she'd disappear, she'd have left behind not only a broken man, but a broken family, too. They were people that needed her and wanted her around, people she'd grown attached to, loved even.

It had been enough to scare her.

She wanted to live.

-.-

**A/N: **_Apologies for all the medical terminology River spewed here, but I used her to describe part of what's happening to Inara's body. Besides, I couldn't shame River's brilliant mind. :P I'm fortunate enough to have studied healthcare at length, and it's sort of my area of expertise. Still, it was a challenge to sort of 'invent' this illness, and the terrible toll it's taken on our companion here. Also, significant plot revealed: Hammer's real name is Malcolm. Will be explaining that soon enough. ;D Feedback, as usual, is most appreciated! Questions in regards to any of the medical nonsense can be PMed to me._

**Translation:**

**_Bì zuǐ: shut up_**

**___dòuzhānǎojīn: idiot/porridge head_**

**___SMMSE: Standardized Mini Mental Status Exam_**


	15. roomies

**A/N: **_Don't know if it's a good thing, but chapters will be getting a bit longer, now. Less filler, and I've got more time on my hands with the freedom from my studies. :)_

**of heroes & space cowboys**

**15:**

**roomies**

**summary: **_it never does get better, it always gets worse_

_He stared at Serenity, at his old Firefly. She was falling apart, broken. They'd wrangled her for parts, taken off important pieces, leaving her flightless, barren. His bird wouldn't be taking off to the sky, like she once had. His heart ached at the sight of her in such disarray. She'd be costly to fix, the parts would be near impossible to find for a make like hers, and even then, would she still fly true, or would she come crashing right out of the sky? He didn't know what they'd done to her, didn't know if she'd make it without the proper love she deserved. Without her captain, she was an empty vessel, and without his ship, he was more or less the same._

_ Kaylee came to stand beside him, looking at her most prized project with a forlorn look. Then, she rolled up her sleeves, tied up her hair into a messy little ponytail, and began to assess the damage with a more intense gaze. The captain knew that look all too well. She was sizing her up, calculating all the repairs she'd be making, all the parts she could do without, and the ones she couldn't spare. Inside her mind, she was thinking up of little avenues that would avoid them any major cost, of cheap parts that could make up for other, more expensive ones. He almost beamed at her. That was his little mechanic._

_ It was the first time he'd seen her so happy since he'd found her again. She'd been tinkering away at some __**fèiwù**__ in her daddy's little shop, alone and not quite as cheerful as he'd come to know her. Part of that had been his fault. _

_ "She'll fly, capt'n. You've got my word on that," she had turned to look at him with a serious expression._

_ He mustered up a small smile, for her sake. He wasn't hopeful. _

_ "Sir, ain't no machine in this 'verse our l'il Kaylee can't fix," his first mate reassured him, staring at Serenity with a sense of pride and affection. _

_ Kaylee was stroking the dented, rusty metal of the Firefly with a look of love and adoration. "I'm back, girl. Ain't goin' nowhere this time...,"she cooed softly._

_ "Her wings are broken. The bits were scattered all over, and they keep hurting to be whole again. But the pieces are all here, gathered from the calling...can you put them back together?" River's eerie voice, her all too knowing eyes deadlocking with the captain's. He knew she'd pried into his mind, read his deepest, darkest secrets. _

_ He looked around him in response, at his small crew._

_ Jayne Cobb. His mercenary-for-hire, stood watch in the night, looking out for any guards, not saying a word. He couldn't face his captain, couldn't look him in the eyes without realizing the debt he owed him. He couldn't admit that, even if there hadn't been a debt to repay, he'd still follow his captain to Serenity. _

_ Then there was Simon Tam. The genius doctor's baby blues were only for the little engineer, longing and love and hurt, all boiled into his expression. She paid him no attention, and it cut him deepest. He realized he deserved her resentment, so he chose to blend with the darkness of the night._

_ Zoe Alleyne Washburne. The stoic, second in command, remained distant to her captain, cold. He'd saved her from herself, but he didn't think anyone could save her from the endless pain of lost love._

_ The other Tam sibling. His little albatross was pressing her head to Serenity, her clothes raggedy, her face and hair dirty, signs of the difficult life he'd abandoned her and her brother to. Because of him, there was more blood on her fragile fingers than there ought to have been. _

_ She whispered, "You can still hear her, if you pay attention..."_

_ Kaywinnit Lee Frye, his genius mechanic. She could sense that there was something off about him, knew that there wasn't a right with his eyes. She wouldn't need to read his mind, like River did, to see it. She may not have known how to fix a human, but she could still tell when something was amiss inside of him. _

_ He looked at his team, all of them, and knew that even broken; there weren't any others he'd have wanted for this. River had been right; all the pieces had gathered, and it was up to him to put them back together again._

_ "No more standin' 'round. We've got a job to do, crew. Let's see it gets done."_

-.-

Inara awoke to the ruckus outside of her apartment. There were voices yelling, and then some smashing sounds. She tried desperately to cling to the dream before it would fade away, but reality pried her fingers loose, and forced open her eyes. It had been one of those dreams that she couldn't recall almost as soon as her sleep was interrupted. She couldn't help but feel it was important that she remembered it. But, for her life, she couldn't hang on to it. Frustrated, she threw her covers off of her, and speed walked out of her room, down the corridor, and towards her door. The voices grew louder, and she caught some of the conversation.

"Like I told you, that wasn't my faul-! Hey! Would you stop throwing things at me?! Violence isn't the answer here!"

"You're scum! Complete scum! Think I don't watch the news? Think you can deceive us with your lies?! I'm not stupid! And I'll keep throwing things until you leave!"

"Ow! Stop that, civilian!"

Inara threw open her door just in time to catch Captain Hammer dodging another plate that smashed to the floor behind him. She was just about to close it again, when Hammer held it ajar with his hand.

"Inara! Oh, thank goodness. Can you explain to this nice, crazy gentleman that I'm just here to visit you, please?"

Inara stared at Hammer with wide eyes, and a disbelieving expression. "Really? After I specifically asked you to leave me alone, you somehow decide that it's a cue for you to stalk me?" She came off sounding irritated and annoyed.

It may have had to do with the fact that she was cranky after that dream. Or maybe, she just still wasn't really ready to face Hammer, not after his latest little revelation to her.

"See? Nobody likes you, you dirty liar!" one of her neighbours cried.

Another plate just barely missed Hammer's head, breaking into pieces against the wall by Inara's door. She flinched backwards, and Hammer stared at the accuser with bewilderment.

"That almost hit me!" He shouted.

The man sneered, "Well, that won't do. The point is _not_ to miss!"

He went to grab another, but upon realizing he was out of plates, he pointed a finger at Hammer, and said, "I'm not finished with you yet! I got a whole cabinet full of dishware that I've been meaning to get rid of for years!"

With that, the man disappeared inside his apartment, and Hammer took it as an opportunity to sneak inside of Inara's home. He shoved her aside, taking her by surprise, and closed the door behind him, locking it. Then, he turned around, and slid down against the door, looking a little worse for wear.

"Man! What a total nut job! All of your neighbours throw plates at your guests, or just the one?" Hammer asked, looking up into Inara's face while using a hand to keep his fringe from his forehead.

Then, his eyes snuck down her body as he realized she wasn't wearing very much. Her silky tank top did nothing to mask the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra, and it was short enough for Hammer to feast his eyes on her black lace panties and long, bare legs. He gave her one of Mal's trademark crooked, sheepish grins, and Inara felt her skin flush. It wasn't fair, the effect he had on her. He _wasn't_ Mal. But the fact that he looked as handsome as him, had her body reacting in ways she detested.

"Legs for days...," he breathed, admiring the golden skin.

Inara smiled spitefully. "My neighbours seem to know a fraud when they see one, I suppose," she snapped.

Hammer stood to his full height, giving her his pouty eyes. "Aw, come on! I wasn't lying about my name, you know. It was the name I had before I became the Captain," he explained sincerely.

It was too much. She bit down on the bottom of her lip, and shook her head.

"It's not possible, you _aren't_ Mal...," she trailed off.

"Hey, how'd you know my nickname? I don't think I told you about that..." Hammer appeared confused.

Inara stared at him, her heart racing. She backed away until she was up against the wall. Her hands clutched at her hair, and she tried to calm down.

"This has to be some sort of sick, twisted trick they're playing on me. It has to be!" She cried out.

She looked at him then, confounded when she asked, "Is your last name Reynolds, too?!"

Hammer quirked up an eyebrow. "No...Don't really know my last name. Grew up in an orphanage. Woah! Why the heck did I just tell you that?" He took a step back, dazed by his own confession.

Steely eyed, Inara watched Hammer like he was some kind of puzzle she needed to figure out. She studied the planes of his face, looking for a small hint of a difference, anything at all that proved he wasn't whom he appeared to be. The lines and wrinkles from the years of stress weren't as visible on this man. His eyes twinkled with a mirth that spoke of a different life, a different past. There was no icy chill in the way he looked at her. Gone was the contemplative expression Mal's face would be permanently fixed in. Other than that, he was an exact clone of the man she'd once loved. A complete replica.

A knock on her door brought them both out of their little staring match. It was Nandi's voice that came from the other side, "Inara, sweetie. It's Nandi. You were supposed to meet me at the doctor's office a half hour ago...Uh, what's with all the broken plates? You have a party without me?"

As if on impulse, and without giving it any thought, Inara threw open her door. Hammer stood rooted to the spot, looking around as if he didn't know what to do with himself. Should he have hidden? Should he have stayed put? All he knew was that he didn't want any more plates thrown at him.

Nandi was initially greeted with Inara's skimpy appearance, messy bed hair, and lack of pants. Then, the red haired woman tilted her head to the side to get a good look at the other intruder in her friend's home. Hammer stood around, appearing as uncomfortable as he was out of place.

He waved innocently. "Hi," he greeted, sparing Nandi a nervous smile.

The vixen of a woman grinned from ear to ear. Understanding dawning on her, Inara was quick to the defensive. "_Wǒde mā_! I-It is NOT what it looks like, Nandi!" She cried, flabbergasted.

Nandi's smile remained, reaching her green eyes upon noting Inara's reaction. She welcomed herself in, eyeing Hammer's tall, muscular figure, up and down.

"Nothin' to be ashamed of, Inara. Can't say I wouldn't help myself to this fine piece of ass, either..." Nandi sized Hammer up, circling him, while shy fingers delicately grazed one of his shoulders.

Hammer couldn't help the cocky grin that had overcome his features. He took her hand in his, and smiled at her, turning on the cheesy charm that made Inara roll her eyes.

He brought Nandi's hand to his lips, and said, "All natural, baby."

He winked, and kissed the tender flesh of her knuckles. Nandi giggled, her eyes shining.

"That's it," Inara started, opening the door wide and holding it there. "Out. Now," she ordered, looking right at Hammer.

But Hammer didn't seem to be paying any attention to her anymore. His eyes were all for her friend.

Nandi turned to look at her, and asked, "You don't mind if I borrow him, right? Just for a night?"

Inara smiled, her mouth a thin line when she replied, "Take him. He's all yours."

Nandi headed out, Hammer not too far after her.

Just as he reached the door where his previous obsession remained, he paused. She refused to look up at him, refused to become that weak. Instead, she kept her head low and waited.

"Uh...this is awkward. You don't...mind, right?" He asked her, appearing a little twitchy, nervous even.

Wild, jet black curls danced with her as she shook her head. "Do what you want," she stated without feeling.

"Weird..." He commented.

She looked up at him then, aware of how small she was in his intimidating presence.

"What's weird?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

A beat, with Hammer staring off into the distance, perplexed and lost in thought.

"Can't shake the feeling that maybe I-..."

Nandi , noting his absence, had walked back and asked, "Hey, are we going to have sex, or what?"

Just like that, his stupid grin was back, and Inara knew that whatever progress he had been about to make, was gone forever.

-.-

"Is she as pretty as they say she is?" Moist asked his pal, who was also now his new boss.

Billy tapped his fingers nervously against the table the two of them were seated at.

"Can you not?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Moist sighed, and sank into his chair. "Fine, fine. Yeesh, what's got you so touchy? I'm the one sweating here..."

Billy closed his eyes, and sighed in frustration. "Yes, she's pretty. Happy?" He barked.

Moist smiled nervously, and then asked, "How pretty?"

Billy groaned, and slammed his head onto the table out of frustration.

When he looked up to see his sweat drenched friend's expecting gaze, he said, "She's gorgeous! Like, holy hot mamma hot. Picture the hottest girl you've ever seen, right? She puts _her_ to shame, makes her look like a witch with a wart bubble on her nose. She'll make you believe her last name's Gilette because she's the best a man can get. I'm saying that if looks could kill, she'd be a weapon of mass destruction. She comes off so strong, it's like a garlic milkshake. If she was gum, she'd be babe-a-liscio-..."

"Okay! Okay, okay, I get it! You can stop now..." Moist folded his arms over his chest, averting his gaze to the stage.

Billy smiled.

"Those were awful, dude. No wonder you're still single..."

Just like that, the doctor's lips formed a frown, unimpressed.

The lights dimmed then, and the stage suddenly drew everyone's attention. The music started up, slow, sexy, with a steady beat. The pole in the centre was shining in the eerie, cool, blue lighting. She came on then, obscured by the shadows and wisps of smoke, but you could make out the silhouette of her perfect curves, of her long and lean legs, of the stiletto heels she strutted in. Her body moved to the music, embraced it, flowed with it so powerfully, the entire club was silent in anticipation.

No other girl could commandeer the stage like she did. None could draw the attention quite like her. Billy had to remember how to close his mouth, while Moist stared on without any shame.

Work.

They were supposed to be there for work, not admiring Hammer's next prospective girlfriend.

But, he'd be lying if he said she wasn't pleasant to look at, on that stage, all lithe and...flexy.

Dear God, was that even humanly possible, the way she moved on that lucky pole?

He gulped, looked away, feeling suddenly bashful.

He took a swig of his non-Alcoholic beverage, and trained his eyes on the table, and not the way her fabulous body was so exposed just about then. So, the rumours had been true; this was what she did for a living.

"Hey, Horrible?" Moist breathed, his mouth still open.

"Yeah?" Billy questioned.

His glistening friend paused a moment, and then gulped as Inara took a very sexy dip to the crescendo of the music, arching her back. "Thanks for bringing me along. Really cool of you, man," he said when he found his voice again, eyes never leaving the stage.

Billy looked up then, and watched the way her lovely, naked body pressed up against the cool steel of the pole, the way she twirled and moved around it. His breath felt like it'd been knocked out of him.

"No problem...," he managed to croak.

-.-

"What?!" Inara had turned and snapped at Jayne.

He'd been giving her this knowing look that bugged the living daylights out of her. It was the same look he'd given her when he'd caught her with her female client in the 'verse. It was lecherous, mischievous, and downright irritating. She'd rather he just came out and said what he was thinking, rather than make that stupid face of his.

"Nothin'. Just tryin' to picture you really datin' someone as pathetic as that Hammer fella of yours," he commented nonchalantly.

Inara sighed, and rolled her eyes. There was no point in debating it; the man was set in his beliefs after that unfortunate confrontation with the captain. He wouldn't let go of the fact that he'd kicked the butt of her newest 'squeeze toy', so he claimed. He was also having a time of it because of the recent media attention he'd received. They were calling him a hero, now, and it was getting to his head. Somewhere out there, in a dingy bar, Inara was sure there was a song being sung about him.

When they'd reached the doors to the apartment complex, Jayne warned her, "Best be careful, little lady. Bein' with that man is gonna be causin' you all sorts of trouble, and I don't get paid enough to watch you twenty four seven."

Inara smiled, using her companion training to make it appear sincere. "Thanks. I'm sure I can handle myself from here, Jayne."

He gave her that dumb look one more time, before turning around and walking back to whatever hole he'd crawled out of.

Inara sighed, and hugged her trench coat tighter against her body.

When she reached the level of her apartment, she saw a figure sitting on the carpeted floor, directly across from her door. She slowed down, treading carefully and quietly. The man had a black rain coat thrown over him like a blanket, obscuring most of his face. His eyes were shut, and he didn't appear to be moving. Inara's heart raced as she got closer, wondering at who the stranger was, camped outside of her home.

He shifted just as she was a few paces away, and then his eyelids fluttered open. He blinked a few times before he fully acknowledged her standing over him. He jolted to his feet then, the jacket falling to the ground, forgotten. The whites of his eyes were blood-shot, and there were bags under them. The new look seemed to add years to him.

She was going to say something, opened her mouth, even ready to fire off protests and insults, but he stopped her. He put his hand forward, making a signal that told her not to try it, and shook his head. She backed away, surprised and offended.

"Wait. Just wait, before you go on to list the many reasons as to why I shouldn't be here, all of which I would absolutely agree with," Hammer started to explain, appearing exhausted.

He ran a hand through his hair, his breath shaky. Inara waited, perplexed by his unexpected behaviour.

"I know I shouldn't be here. Heck, your gorgeous friend would have been more than accommodating to me. All my problems could have been solved so easily. I would have stayed with her, you know, and we'd have had all the best sex I liked, you wouldn't even have to hear from me again. Everyone is happy! Everybody wins!" He babbled.

Inara was ready to say something, when he shushed her again with his hand.

"But, you just have to make it difficult, don't you? Just have to complicate things! No Hammer, you can't sleep with my friend. You can't have sex with her!"

"I didn't-..." Inara tried to get a word in.

"Shh! Still ranting here!" He exclaimed.

Her instant silence was his cue to continue, "Now, where was I? Oh, right. Being deprived of sex with an attractive woman. And it's all your fault! First, you weasel information out of me about my childhood, then you get into my head, and refuse to leave! And now, I can't even _kiss_ another woman without feeling weird about it!"

Inara blinked a few times, opening and closing her mouth, the ability of speech seemingly lost to her.

He walked up to her, dangerously close, and stared her right in the eyes, searching them for answers that weren't there. When he spoke, his breath was a soft whisper tickling her skin. "What have you _done_ to me? Why can't I get you _out_?!"

He clutched at his head, and turned around to give her his back, muttering to himself. "It wasn't supposed to happen, it's never happened before. None of the others stuck around this long. Damn it, get a grip, Hammer! I'm _the _Hammer, the one and only! And the real Captain Hammer doesn't just turn down free sex with a pretty woman...He also doesn't turn down a place to stay when he's got nowhere else to go..._Why_ did I even do that?"

Inara watched his mind unravel, mesmerized by how it was unfolding. In the heat of the moment, in the heat of Hammer's break down, she had come to a conclusion. But not all the pieces of the puzzle were there. She couldn't solve the mystery, couldn't get to the bottom of things if she kept pushing this man away. She had to keep him close, keep watching for what he said, how he acted, hints about his past and his character.

Her decision had been made. She didn't like what she was about to do, didn't know if she could handle the haunting memories it would bring back, or if she could even trust herself with it. But if the Blue Sun Organization was up to something, and it was very likely that they were, then Captain Hammer- Malcolm, was appearing to be a very obvious direct link.

He stopped fumbling only when he heard the tinkling of her keys. He turned to watch her open the door to her apartment, anger leaking away from his handsome features. She looked back at him then, after taking a step inside her home.

When she spoke, she made sure she came off sounding as serious as possible. "You said you needed a place to stay, right?"

-.-

**A/N: **_Long chapter is long. Some major character development here for Captain Hammer. Gave some hints away as to what his connection to Mal might just be. Also, Inara has never been stupid. I'm hoping her smarts are being displayed here as she puts it together. The dream is also a significant hint to things. Slowly, things are unfolding. :)_

**Translations:**

**Wǒde mā: **"My mother!", used similarly to "Oh, my God!"

**Fèiwù:** junk


End file.
